
It is possible to be allergic to tea tree oil. Participants experienced no negative effects.Īnother study found tea tree oil shampoo effective for treating children with cradle cap. People with dandruff who used a 5 percent tea tree oil shampoo daily for 4 weeks showed significant improvements in overall severity, as well as in the levels of itchiness and greasiness, when compared with a placebo. Mild to moderate dandruff related to the yeast Pityrosporum ovale may be treated with 5 percent tea tree oil, according to one study. Share on Pinterest Tree tree oil can be used to soothe cradle cap on an infant’s scalp. Keep in mind that tea tree oil itself may induce allergic contact dermatitis in some people. However, it did not have an effect on irritant contact dermatitis. Results suggest that tea tree oil was more effective in suppressing allergic contact dermatitis than other treatments. Several treatments for contact dermatitis were compared, including tea tree oil, zinc oxide, and clobetasone butyrate. Contact dermatitisĬontact dermatitis is a form of eczema caused by contact with an irritant or allergen.

This was over double the improvement seen in the placebo group. More recent research compared higher concentrations of tea tree oil on athlete’s foot with a placebo.Ī marked improvement in symptoms was seen in 68 percent of people who used a 50 percent tea tree oil application, with 64 percent achieving total cure. However, the tea tree oil was no more effective than a placebo in achieving a total cure. Symptoms of athlete’s foot, or tinea pedis, were reduced through topical application of a tea tree oil cream, according to one study.Ī 10 percent tea tree oil cream appeared to reduce the symptoms as effectively as 1 percent tolnaftate, an antifungal medication. Those using the tea tree oil experienced fewer side effects. This builds on earlier research which compared 5 percent tea tree oil gel with 5 percent benzoyl peroxide lotion in treating cases of mild to moderate acne.īoth treatments significantly reduced the number of acne lesions, although the tea tree oil worked more slowly. Participants treated with tea tree oil experienced improvement in both total acne count and the severity of the acne. One study found a significant difference between tea tree oil gel and a placebo in treating acne. It affects up to 50 million Americans at any one time.
Tea tree oil toothpicks skin#
However, the oil may be useful for a number of skin complaints.Īcne is the most common skin condition. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advise that research into the effects of topically applied tea tree oil in people is limited. Share on Pinterest Tea tree oil is distilled from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant. Some studies show that tea tree oil can help treat certain viruses, but research is limited in this area. Other research suggests suggests that terpinen-4-ol enhances the activity of fluconazole, a common antifungal drug, in cases of resistant strains of Candida albicans. The majority of the studies reviewed focus on Candida albicans, a type of yeast which commonly affects the skin, genitals, throat, and mouth. AntifungalĪ review of the effectiveness of tea tree oil highlights its ability to kill a range of yeasts and fungi.


In humans, topically applied tea tree oil reduced swelling in histamine-induced skin inflammation more effectively than paraffin oil. In animal tests, terpinen-4-ol was found to suppress inflammatory activity in cases of mouth infection. Tea tree oil may help quell inflammation, possibly due to its high concentration of terpinen-4-ol, a compound with anti-inflammatory properties. More research is needed to understand how it might work. Some research suggests that the broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity associated with the oil comes from its ability to damage the cell walls of bacteria. Tea tree oil is probably best known for its antibacterial activity. Today it is used for a number of conditions. The oil has been used for almost 100 years as a healing treatment in Australia, particularly for skin conditions. Share on Pinterest Tea tree oils have been used in Australia as an ointment for close to 100 years.
